Notice

The name of the society shall be the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour.

Section 2: Objects of the Society

The objects of the Society shall be:

1. to promote the study of artificial intelligence, simulation of behaviour and the design of intelligent systems.

2. to facilitate co-operation and communication among those interested in the study of artificial intelligence, simulation of behaviour and the design of intelligent systems.

3. to hold, or to participate in the holding of, conferences and meetings for the communication of knowledge concerning, and to publicise and disseminate by other means knowledge and views concerning artificial intelligence, simulation of behaviour and the design of intelligent systems.

Section 3: Amendments to the Constitution

1. Conduct of the Ballot. Voting on amendments to the Constitution shall be conducted at a General Meeting of the Society, but will include votes submitted by post or electronically.

2. Votes. Changes in the Constitution shall require the approval of two-thirds of those actually voting, provided that the number voting be not less than fifteen percent of the membership.

3. Notification. The Committee shall give one clear month's notice of the text of proposed amendments.

4. Proposals. Proposals to amend the Constitution may be put forward by the Committee. Additionally such proposals may be forwarded by an individual Member to the Committee provided that it bears the signature of at least twelve members of the Society.

5. Timescale. In either case the proposal must be put to the Society for voting not later than at the next Annual General Meeting provided that time allows for due notice to be given, otherwise at an early General Meeting and no later than the next AGM.

Section 4: Publications

The Society shall publish an organ from time to time as determined by the Committee, but at least once a year.

Section 5: Membership

1. Individual Membership. Membership of the Society shall be open to persons interested in the study of artificial intelligence, simulation of behaviour and the design of intelligent systems.

2. Institutional and Corporate Membership. Libraries, departments in educational establishments with kindred interests, and similar not-for-profit establishments may be admitted as Institutional Members. Corporate bodies such as companies may be admitted as Corporate members.

3. Subscriptions. From every Member there shall be due, on the anniversary of their joining, an annual subscription which shall be determined from time to time by the Committee.

4. Entitlements of Individual Members.

Individual Members are entitled to receive the Society's organ.

Individual Members of the Society shall be entitled to attend all meetings of the Society. Members shall not be exempt, by virtue of membership alone, from any due fees for conferences or meetings other than General Meetings.

Individual members are entitled to vote at General Meetings of the Society and in any postal or electronic ballots which the Committee may from time to time conduct.

Every Member shall receive on admission a copy of the Constitution of the Society.

5. Entitlements of Institutional and Corporate Members.

Each Institutional Member is entitled to receive a number of copies of the organ free of charge, the number to be determined from time to time by the committee.

Institutional Members shall be non-voting members.

Every Member shall receive on admission a copy of the Constitution of the Society.

6. Termination of Membership. The Committee may, on the submission of the Hon. Treasurer, terminate the membership of any Member who remains in default with their subscription after at least one reminder and, in a subsequent communication, at least one month's notice of termination.

7. Resignation. Notice of resignation of membership must be given to the Secretary in writing. Such notice of resignation shall not exempt the resigning Member from payment of the current year's subscription.

Section 6: Officers and Committee of the Society

1. Principal Officers of the Society. The Principal Officers of the Society shall be drawn from the elected members of the committee and shall be an Hon. Chair, an Hon. Vice-Chair, an Hon. Secretary and an Hon. Treasurer.

2. The Officers of the Society. All officers of the society are drawn from the committee and shall include:

the Principal Officers of the Society,

the principal Editor of the Society's organ,

a membership officer.

Other officerial posts may be created at the committee's discretion.

3. The Committee of the Society. The business of the Society shall be conducted by a Committee consisting of no more than sixteen elected members. The Committee may, at its discretion, co-opt further members to the committee.

4. Quorum. A quorum shall consist of half of the current elected members of the committee, of whom at least two must be Principal Officers.

5. Votes. Voting at Committee Meetings shall be by a simple majority of the elected members present. In the event of a tie, the Chair of the meeting shall be entitled to a casting vote as well as a deliberate vote.

Co-opted members shall not be entitled to vote.

6. Committee Elections. Vacancies on the Committee for each year shall be filled by election by postal or electronic ballot, at the earliest convenient time. The results must be declared at the Annual General Meeting and published in the Society's organ.

7. Nominations. Nominations must be signed by two members of the Society, carry a statement of the nominee's willingness to serve and must be sent out to the members at least one clear month before the closing date of the ballot.

8. Term of Office. No elected member may serve for more than three years without re-election. Co-opted members serve terms of up to three years, which may be renewed at the discretion of the Committee.

9. Votes of No Confidence. An individual member of the society may instigate a vote of no confidence in a principal officer of the society by submitting a petition to that effect to the Hon. Secretary signed by no less than 10 per cent of the membership of the society. No more than one vote of no confidence may be called against an officer in one calendar year.

A ballot must be held within 3 months of receipt of such a petition. This may be conducted as a postal or electronic ballot or at a General Meeting, and will be decided by a simple majority of those actually voting, provided that the number voting be not less than fifteen percent of the membership. A clear month's notice should be given for the ballot. This notice should include any text supplied with the petition outlining the reasons for the vote. The officer in question should be provided with an opportunity to defend their actions by similarly including a defence with the notice of the vote.

If the vote is carried the principal officer in question must resign immediately from his or her post and the committee and may not restand for election to the committee for a period of three years.

10. If any elected or co-opted committee member is absent from three consecutive committee meetings without satisfying the committee that they have good cause, they may be deemed to have resigned.

Section 7: General Meetings

1. Annual General Meeting. The Society shall hold at least one general meeting (the AGM) in each calendar year.

2. Proposed Resolutions. Any member may propose a resolution to be considered at a General Meeting. Such a proposal, if it is not a proposed amendment to the Constitution, must be given in writing to the Secretary no later than the beginning of that General Meeting.

3. Votes. Voting on proposals shall be by a simple majority of those present. In the event of a tie, the Chair shall be entitled to a casting vote as well as a deliberate vote.

4. Additional General Meetings. Other General Meetings may be held at the discretion of the Committee, not less than one month's advance notice being given of the date of such a Meeting.

Section 8: Branches

Regional branches of the Society may be set up from time to time at the direction of the Committee. All branches shall be strictly accountable in financial matters to the Hon. Treasurer.

Section 9: Society Finances and Assets

1. Publication of Accounts. The Balance Sheet and Income Expenditure Account of the Society, duly audited, shall be published annually in the Society's organ.

2. Use of Income and Assets. The income and property of the Society shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objects of the Society, as set forth in this Constitution, and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise to Members of the Society except by way of re-imbursement of authorised expenses legitimately incurred in the Society's service or by way of paid employment deemed by the committee to be necessary for the furtherance of the objects of the Society. No elected committee member or officer shall be eligible to be paid solely for the fulfilling of any of the normal duties or responsibilities of their position.

3. Liability. In the execution of the objects of the society, no committee member or paid employee of the society shall be liable for any loss to the property of the society arising by way of any improper investment made in good faith, providing that professional advice had been taken regarding that investment. In the execution of the objects of the society, no committee member or paid employee of the society shall be liable for any loss to the property of the society arising by way of any other matter or thing other than willful and individual fraud on the part of that person.

4. Winding up of the Society. In the event of the winding up of the Society, any assets or funds remaining after the discharging of all debts and commitments shall be transferred to an educational charity, to be selected by a simple majority of those present at a general meeting of the Society.